


Pastry

by Squid_Ink



Series: The Eagle and the Cross [8]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Because I can! :3, F/M, Haytham can't bake to save his life, Hickey will eat anything if it looks and smells like food, I adore Shay for some reason, I tolerate Charles, In which I ignore timelines for AC3 and Forsaken and Rogue, everyone in RL is so gloomy, pointless HayZiio fluff, pointless V-day fluff, still not fond of Charles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 12:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5928472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squid_Ink/pseuds/Squid_Ink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haytham introduces Ziio to Valentine's Day by presenting her with a box of homemade pastries, he baked himself. [Pointless HayZiio fluff]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pastry

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MohawkWoman](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=MohawkWoman).



The brown pastries didn't look like cute little hearts. No, instead they looked like deformed globs of… Shay didn't really want to think about what they looked like exactly. He poked one, afraid to try it. "Maybe you should ask Hickey to sample this, sir," he told Haytham. "You know he's willing to put anything in his mouth if it looks like food."

Haytham gave an exasperated sigh. "If Hickey likes them he'll eat them all." Haytham picked up one of his concoctions. "Just eat one."

"Why don't you just buy a box of confections for your… erm… native woman," Charles offered, he too also a taste-tester for Haytham. Neither man could believe that the Grand Master of the Colonial Rite spent all of yesterday and most of today in the kitchen with the plump Mrs. Hefferton from next door, baking.

"She is not aware of our traditions," Haytham stressed, "therefore I feel it's best if I made them by hand." _Then if she rejects it, I won't be out a few pounds._ He didn't say that though, but assumed that the pensive expression on his face portrayed his thought. He picked up two pastries. "Now, I order you to try them." Haytham presented Shay and Charles with the sugary treats.

Shay glanced at Charles, shrugged before taking the pastry. Charles did as well. "Cheers, mate!" Shay said, tapping his pastry against Charles, who scowled in annoyance. Shay shoved the pastry in his mouth. He bit down and instead of a soft fluffy treat, he felt like he was eating his mother's scones, which were hard as rocks. He forced a smile onto his face. "V-Very good, sir," he said around a full mouth. He swallowed. "A little dense, but nothing a cup of tea can't fixed."

"Charles?" Haytham asked, an imploring look at his second-in-command. Charles sighed, not wanting to sample Haytham's baking after what Shay had to endure.

"You know this is just going to end badly." He clarified, "your romance with the native woman."

"Eat. It. Charles." Haytham said tightly, through clenched teeth. He did not want to discuss his bumbling attempts at wooing Ziio with Charles. Charles sighed, before eating it. He spat it out and gave it to his dog.

"Horrid, sir," Charles said, "absolutely horrid."

Haytham sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Hickey!" he shouted. "Hickey, come in here! I have need of you!" Their expert in loosening tongues didn't appear. "Shay," Haytham sighed.

"Oi! Hickey! Get yer ass in here!" Shay bellowed. The door creaked opened, to reveal Thomas Hickey, who was drunk.

"What's all th' fuss 'bout?" he asked, his speech slurred. Haytham held out a pastry.

"Eat it," he ordered. Hickey walked up to his leader, a slight sway to his step. Squinting at the pastry then at Haytham, Hickey burped and took it from Haytham.

"What is it?" he asked, sniffing the treat.

"Put it in your mouth and eat it, idiot," Charles growled. Hickey shrugged and shoved it into his mouth.

"No' bad," he said, "didn't knew yous baked, Hay'am."

"I say they are edible enough," Haytham said, and began to pack the pastries in a tin. "I just hope she accepts them."

"You means they aren't for us?" Hickey asked, moonstruck by the news.

"No, who did you think they were for you, lobcock?" Charles snapped.

"Well… all o' us," Hickey replied. "Who's they for Haytham?"

"Nobody that concerns you, Thomas," Haytham replied curtly as he finished packing up the pastries. "Gentlemen, I'll be off now. Charles, you maintain order. Shay, don't antagonize Charles. I should be back by tomorrow night," Haytham said and left kitchen. Shay, Charles and Hickey watched him leave.

"I thought he'd made them for you, Shay," Hickey said. Shay punched Hickey in the jaw.

* * *

 

Cold, knee-deep in snow, and terribly lost Haytham began to wonder if this was a terribly bad idea. "Ziio! Ziio!" he shouted, trudging through the snow. "Ziio! Good God, woman! Where the hell are you?" he asked, craning his neck to stare at the branches of the tree. He looked down at the tin of pastries he held. His hands were starting to get cold carrying it. "Ziio!" he shouted again.

"What do you want?" Ziio asked, from behind him, having dropped down soundlessly. "I told you that I would come when we are ready to stri—"

"Here!" Haytham said, turning around and presenting the tin to her. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Ziio arched her brow and stared at the tin suspiciously, but didn't make any move to take it. "What is Valentine's Day?" she asked.

"It's an English holiday," Haytham said, "when lovers give each other gifts of either flowers, confectionary or greeting cards. Since there are no flowers and I doubt a greeting card would mean much, I made some pastries."

"And what are pastries?" she asked, confused. She thought it sounded like a silly holiday; then again, she was sure Haytham would probably think the same thing of the holidays of her people. "And why are you doing this? We are not lovers." At that, Haytham flushed and began to stammer, lowering the offered to and staring at his feet oppose to her.

"N-Never mind, I just thought…" he swallowed and was about to leave when she reached out, her hands covering his. "Ziio," he began.

"You are… pig-headed, Haytham Kenway," she said, an enigmatic smile on her face and an equally unreadable twinkle in her amber eyes.

"I prefer the word tenacious," Haytham grumbled, handing off the tin to her. She chuckled. "I hope you enjoy them," he said.

"I enjoy that you…" she frowned, "you considered me." She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you," she said and began to walk away.

"Ziio," Haytham called and took a step towards her. She stopped, turning around to stare at him. The wind picked up, blowing her braids about along with flakes of snow. He swallowed, thinking she was stunningly beautiful. "When can I see you again?" he asked, in a soft voice that was nearly lost to the wind's howl. Ziio smiled cryptically.

"I will come to you," she said before vanishing into the woods.

**Author's Note:**

> Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft
> 
> In which I ignore the timelines for ACIII, Forsaken, and Rogue! :3
> 
> The origin of our modern Valentine's Day tradition of giving gifts to others first appeared in 18th Century England, since that's the 1700s I figured the tradition crossed the Pond. Thus, this! This is also due to the fact that everyone seems gloomy today and it's effecting me, so I thought I cheer people up with pointless fluff. :3
> 
> Haytham can't bake to save his life.
> 
> I have a Naruto/MadaHashi one and an ATLA/Zutara to do, plus I'm listening to Élan by Nightwish on loop. I love that song. :3
> 
> Save an author; leave a review!


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